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Listening Idioms
<Lesson
About to Above all Add up All at once

1>
: : : : almost ready to most importantly make sense, suddenly, : be logical without warning suddenly actually

All of a sudden

all at once, : in reality,

As a matter of fact As a rule At ease : :

generally,

customarily

not nervous, calm : quickly, without any preparation time

At the drop of a hat

Back out (of) Bank on :

withdraw an offer

depend on, count on, rely on : do what you want, feel free, help yourself

Be my guest Be rusty Beats me Better off : : :

need practice or review I dont know, I have no idea (often used in response to a question)

in an improved condition : take on more responsibility than one can handle

Bite off more than one can chew Bound to Break down Break in (on) Break the ice : : : : certain to, sure to

stop functioning (a machine, for example) interrupt break through social barriers (as at a party) : inform, give bad news

Break the news (to) Break up :

end (a meeting, for example) : stop being a couple (a boyfriend and girlfriend, for example)

Break up (with) A breeze :

something very simple and easy to do : : (2) cause to happen (1) raise (a child)

Bring about Bring up

introduce (a topic, for example) review, study, practice

Brush up on

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Bump into By and large By heart :

: :

meet unexpectedly, mostly, generally,

run into on the whole

by memory, : in no way,

learned word for word not at all

By no means

<Lesson
call it a day call off call on : :

2>
: stop working for the day, go home

cancel visit : relax (2) like, feel affection for

calm down care for catch on catch on (to) :

(1) take care of : : : :

become popular understand, learn catch

catch up (with) check in (or into) check out (of) cheer up : :

go as fast as,

register (at a hotel) (2) take material (from a library, for example)

(1) leave (a hotel)

become cheerful, : contribute

be happy

chip in (on/for) clear up :

(1) clarify,

make understandable

(2) become nice and sunny (used to talk about the weather) come across : find, meet, encounter : : begin to change ones opinion, become sick with (an illness) begin to agree with

come around (to) come down with come up with :

think of (an idea) : be very expensive

cost an arm and a leg count on count out cut off : : :

depend on, rely on, bank on eliminate, stop, : no longer consider as a factor for example)

discontinue (a service, have an aptitude for,

cut out for

be qualified for

<Lesson

3>
: constantly, for a long time

day in and day out

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die down do over :

become less severe, do again, : not have : wasted, think of, : repeat

quiet down

do without

down the drain dream up :

done for no reason (work , come up with

for example)

invent,

drop (someone) a line drop in (on) drop off : :

send someone a letter

visit informally

(1) leave something (a package, for example) (2) take (someone) home, let someone out of a car

drop out (of)

stop attending (classes, for example)

easy as pie

very simple, a piece of cake : said of someone who takes more food than he or she can eat

eyes bigger than ones stomach

fall behind fall through

: :

not move as quickly as, fail to happen : : not similar,

lag behind

a far cry from fed up (with) feel free feel like : :

not as good as disgusted with, annoyed by

not able to tolerate,

do something if one wants be inclined to, : want to feel very good ready to

feel like a million dollars feel up to :

feel able to do something, :

few and far between figure out fill in : :

uncommon and infrequent solve

understand,

write in a blank (on an application form, for example) : : : : substitute for provide missing information complete (an application form, for example) learn, : discover someone not in his or her normal surroundings renovate : do what someone else did (especially a parent) forever for now

fill in (for) fill one in fill out find out

a fish out of water fix up : repair,

follow in ones footsteps for good :

permanently, :

for the time being

temporarily,

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from out of the blue

unexpectedly,

without warning

<Lesson

4>
: enjoy, have fun (doing something)

get a kick out of (doing something) get along with get carried away : :

have good relations with go too far, : do too much, buy too much

get in ones blood

become a habit, :

become customary bite off more than one can chew

get in over ones head get in the way get in touch with get off : : : block,

take on too much responsibility,

obstruct

contact

leave (a vehicle) : start to be successful

get off the ground get on get over get rid of : : :

board (a vehicle) recover from (a disease) discard, : no longer have

get under way

begin, start : act unfriendly toward someone, ignore

give (someone) a cold shoulder give away : distribute (for free) :

get the hang of something give a hand : applaud, : clap

learn how to do something

give a hand (with) go easy on go on (with) go overboard go with : : : :

assist

not punish severely continue do too much, buy too much

(1) accompany (2) look good together, complement (for example, two articles of clothing)

go without saying grow up :

be clear,

be obvious

mature,

become an adult

<Lesson
hand in hand out : :

5>
give back to, distribute return

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hang on

wait : difficult to find show mercy

hard to come by have a heart have a hunch : :

be compassionate,

have an intuitive feeling : talk to someone briefly

have a word with (someone) have on : wear : :

have ones hands full have the time of ones life hear firsthand (from) hear from hear of hit it off : : : :

be very busy, have fun,

have a challenging job

have a great time

get information directly from someone be in touch with

be contacted by, know about,

be familiar with

become friendly (especially at a first meeting) : wait : grasp leave, go away

hit the road hold on :

hold on (to) hold still hold up : :

not move delay

<Lesson

6>
: in summary, in brief supporting

in a nutshell in favor of in hot water in no time in person in store in the dark : : : : : :

in agreement with, in trouble very soon, face to face in the future,

very quickly (not by telephone, letter, etc.) coming up

not knowing, confused : : over a long period of time in the same situation, having the same problems

in the long run in the same boat iron out :

solve (a problem)

join the club

have the same problem as other people : form opinions without sufficient evidence

jump to conclusions

keep an eye on

watch,

take care of,

look after

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keep an eye out (for) keep on (with) keep track of keep up (with) kill time : : : :

look for

continue know where something or someone is maintain the same speed as

spend time doing unimportant things (before an appointment, for example) : be very similar with

know like the back of ones hand

lay off

put out of work : become familiar with, omit : not disturb get used to, get the hang of

learn the ropes leave out :

not include,

leave someone/something alone let someone down let up : :

disappoint for example)

decline in intensity (rain , : : take care of, try to locate : anticipate mind

look after look for

look forward to look into look like : :

(with pleasure)

investigate resemble : be careful read

look out (for) look over look up : :

examine,

(1) find information (especially in a reference book) (2) try to locate someone

look up to

respect,

admire

<Lesson

7>
: act embarrassingly

make a fool of oneself make a point of make ends meet make sense (of) make up : : : :

make a special effort balance a budget be logical and clear, create : decide provide a path for understand

invent,

make up ones mind make way for mean to mixed up : : :

allow space for,

intend to confused

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music to ones ears

something that sounds pleasant

a nervous wreck next to nothing no doubt about it no harm done not at all : : :

someone who is very nervous very little (money, for example), cheap

certainly,

definitely

there was no damage done not to any degree : be unable to believe what one hers (or sees) not have a good opinion of

not in any way,

not believe ones ears(or eyes) not think much of odds and ends an old hand (at) on edge on end on hand : : : : : : not like,

small,

miscellaneous items

an experienced person

nervous consecutively, easily available : nervous, anxious without a break (days on end, for example)

on needles and pins on ones own :

independent : after reconsidering always moving almost able to remember

on second thought on the go :

always busy, :

on the tip of ones tongue on the whole :

in general : : not having something insane, illogical, irrational properly

out of (something) out of ones mind out of order :

broken, :

not functioning,

out of the question over and over over ones head : :

definitely not,

impossible repeatedly (a joke, for example), obscure

again and again,

not understandable

<Lesson
part with pass up : :

8>
no longer have, not accept, get rid of, not be in the company of

not choose : : do very well (on a test) congratulate oneself

pass with flying colors pat oneself on the back pick out pick up : : choose, (1)

select

take something from a surface (for example, a floor)

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(2) go to a location and get someone or something (3) learn (especially without formal training) pick up the tab (for) the picture of play it by ear play it safe point out : : : : : pay for

a perfect example of something do something without a definite plan

choose a cautious plan indicate : a lot of money make up a story to keep taking chances

a pretty penny pull ones leg push ones luck put aside put away put off put on : : : : :

joke with someone,

: to continue doing something too long, save for later, set aside

return something to its proper place delay, postpone

begin to wear : : assemble tolerate

put together put up with

<Lesson
right away

9>
: immediately : sound familiar to

ring a bell (with) rough it rule out : :

experience somewhat difficult or primitive conditions say something is impossible, : have a fever eliminate

run a temperature run for office run into : :

try to get elected bump into

(1) meet unexpectedly, (2) collide with

run late

be late, :

be in a hurry ordinary

run of the mill run out of :

exhaust the supply of

save ones breath search me : I dont

dont bother asking someone know, I have no idea, : beats me have the same opinion, be in agreement

see eye to eye (with someone) (on something) see (someone) off :

accompany (to an airport or train station, for example)

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see to

take care of, :

check on,

fix get the penalty one deserves

serve one right short for :

receive the proper punishment,

a nickname for : orient, give a tour

show around show off show up shut down sign up (for) sing another size up : : : :

try to attract attention by unusual behavior arrive close : enroll (for a class, for example) : change ones opinion, estimate decision until the next day steadily but not quickly feel differently

tune

measure, :

sleep on it

postpone a : : : : :

slowly but surely snowed under so far, so good sooner or later speak ones mind speak up :

gradually, very busy

up until now, there are no problems at some indefinite future time say what one is thinking

speak more loudly : : support verbally make something very clear, : : extremely and clean, compare with wipe out (2) symbolize, represent explain in detail spotless

speak up for spell out (for)

spick and span stack up against stamp out stand for stand out stay out : : : :

eliminate,

(1) tolerate, put up with be noticeable not come home :

stay out (or up) to all hours stay up : not go to bed :

come home (or go to bed) very late

stock up (on)

get a large supply of something : not far away from, go to see make tidy close to

a stones throw from stop by :

visit informally, : clean up,

straighten up stuck with :

have something one cannot get rid of

<Lesson

10>

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take a break

stop working for a short time : requires a lot of courage : be hard on someone, make use of, exploit drain energy from someone

take a lot of nerve

take a lot out of (someone) take advantage of take after take apart take it easy : : : :

utilize,

resemble, disassemble relax, :

look like (especially an older relative)

calm down

take a short cut take off :

take a more direct or faster route than usual

(1) remove (clothing, for example) (2) ascend (a plane, for example) (3) become popular quickly

take over

assume control or responsibility : participate in : : finally take action, do something different

take part (in)

take the plunge take time off (from) take up :

take a vacation or a break from work or school

begin to study some topic or engage in some activity : speak to someone as if he or she were a child, convince convince not to do something patronize

talk down to talk into talk out of talk over : : :

persuade, dissuade, discuss

tear oneself away from something tear up tell apart : : rip into small pieces distinguish :

stop doing something interesting

things are looking up think over throw away : : consider discard, :

the situation is improving

get rid of discourage, : force to cancel (a plan, for example)

throw cold water on

throw the book at someone try on try out : :

give someone the maximum punishment (for size, style, and so on)

test clothing before buying test a product before buying : : : : : :

try out (for) turn around turn down turn in turn into turn off

audition for (a role in a play, for example), face in a different direction (1) reject an offer

attempt to join (a team, for example)

(2) decrease the intensity of (2) go to bed

(1) return, give back, hand in change to, transform into

stop the operation (of an appliance, for example),

shut off

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turn on turn out

: :

start the operation (of an appliance, for example) (1) result, (2) produce (3) arrive, gather (for a meeting, for example) end up, be the final product

turn up

(1) increase the intensity of (2) arrive

under the water use up :

slightly all

use completely

wait on

serve : : be very happy (1) heat (2) practice, prepare for start to enjoy

walk on air warm up

warm up (to) watch out (for) wear out :

: :

become friendly with, be alert, look out for

become no longer useful because of wear : exactly what was needed, the perfect thing

what the doctor ordered wipe out : eliminate, :

stamp out

without a hitch work out :

without a problem

(1) exercise (2) bring to a successful conclusion, solve

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